Oscar louvier



(No Model.)

0. LOUVIER.

TOY PUZZLE.

Patented Mar. 1, 1892.

Inventor,

Witnesses.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR LOUVIER, OF HAMBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO LOUIS FREUND,

OF SAME PLACE.

TOY PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,818, dated March 1, 1892.

Application filed October 15, 1891. Serial No. 408,780- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR LOUVIER, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at Hamburg, in the German Empire, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements in Toy Puzzles, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in toys known under the name The Egg of Columbus; and the object of the same is to increase the degree of probability of bringing the movable weight adapted to locate the point of gravity within the hollow egg-likeformed body in the required position for enabling the latter to stand still on one or the other of its poles. I attain this object by the arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1, 2, and 3 are longitudinal sections of my improved toy, which is shown in three diiferent positions, according to the location of the point of gravity. Fig. 4. is a cross-section, and Fig. 5 a top View, of the movable weight causing the location of the point of gravity of the hollow egg-formed body. Figs. 6 and 7 are modifications of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Similar letters refer to similarparts thro u ghout the several views.

The movable weight a, adapted to locate the" point of gravity of the egg-like-formed body I), is guided by a rod 0, which is arranged within the hollow space of the body I) and. extends from one pole to the other parallel or coincident with the major axis of the egg. It must, however, be observed that the axis of bore a of the movable weight a, to which fits the rod 0, does not intersect the center of mass of the weight, or that the geometrical axis of the same lies aside of the axis of the bore in case of a regular form and distribution of mass of the weight. Under these circumstances and on account of the inertia of the weight a the rod 0 may turn in horizontal position within the bore a of the weight, while the latter remains in the position of rest. This, however, is only admitted when the weight a is at a certain point of the rod c viz., near the oblate pole of the egg, Fig. 1- because parallel to the rod 0 is fixed a second but shorter rod 0, the free end of which is adapted/to enter any of the holes of, arranged in the weight a concentrically to the bore a. It, therefore, the free end of the rod 0 by turning the egg in horizontal position about its major axis is brought in such a position that it will coincide with one of the holes a the latter may receive the rod 6' on properly tilting the egg. As, however, the rod 0 is provided'with a sideward projection or knee 0 the weight a is prevented from sliding upon the rods 0 c to the opposite pole, unless the free end of the rod 0 hasmet with that hole 0, of the weight which extends so much in radial direction that the said projection or knee of the rod 0 will admit the passage of the weight. The latter may then approach the other end of the egg-shaped hollow body I), thus enabling the same to stand upon its tapering pole, Fig. 3. In the position, Fig. 1, of the weight a, which is close to the oblate pole of the hollow egg-shaped body b, the latter is nevertheless prevented, in view of the irregular distribution of mass in the movable weight, from standing verti cally upon the said pole; but it will always occupy a position deviating from the former, according to the position of the point of gravity in the weight with relation to the major axis of the egg-shaped body I).

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the rod 0, Figs. 1 and 3, is continued from one pole of the egg-shaped bodyb to the other, except at a place alittle beyond the center of the body I; where an interstice is left for admitting the weight a to freely turn upon the rod 0 between the so-formed free ends 0 and c of the rod c'.- A little distance from the free end c the rod 0' is provided with a shoulder 0 which serves to prevent the movable weight a from approaching the oblate pole of the egg-shaped body so close as to allow the body I) to automatically right itself. By this arrangement a person unacquainted with the construction of the toy is readily misguided, in that the egg-shaped body cannot be righted or set up on either of it's poles whenever the end of one of the rods enters one of the perforations (t in the weight a, the bend or nose 0 or the shoulder O preventing the weight from sliding along the rods close enough to the poles of the eggshaped body b. \Vhen, however, the weight a. is positioned to allow the bend or nose 0 on rod 0 to enter the slot a then the weight will move into contact with the tapering pole; but whatever is the position of the weight on the rod said weight can not move to the oblate pole on account of the shoulder 0 By means of the modified construction shown in Fig. 7 the egg-shaped bodyb can be set on either of its poles, to which end the rod 0 has two branches 0' extending from opposite ends along opposite sides thereof for a certain distance, each of said branches A having a nose or projection 0 for purposes hereinbefore stated. As shown, when the weight a. is caused to slide to the centerof the rod 0 it, is free. to revolve thereon, and can only then be caused to slide to one or the other pole of the egg-shaped body I) when so positioned that the slot a. in said weight will register with the projection or nose 0 on one or the other of the rods or extensions 0. In this construction the opposite faces of the weight a are curved to correspond with the curvature of the opposite poles of the eggshaped body I), so as to lie in close contact therewith.

I am aware that prior to my invention hollow egg-shaped bodies inclosing ,a movable weight designed to be caught in a cup arranged within the hollow egg-shaped body at one pole end have been made for setting the latter on end to imitate the very well-known trick of Columbus. I therefore do not claim such a combination broadly; but.

WhatI doclaiin as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Atoy or puzzle composed of ahollow eggshaped body inclosing a movable weight, the latter being guided upon a rod arranged coegg-shaped body, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. As an improvement in toys or puzzles 'composed of a hollow eg -shaped body inclosing a movable weight for locating the point of gravity of the whole, the combination of the weight a, provided with'a recess a with the rod 0 arranged coincident or parallel with the axis of the egg-shaped body I), and the rod 0, with projection or knee substan tially as and for the purpose set forth.

The combination, in a toy or puzzle of the described type, of the rod 0, having a branch 0 provided with a knee or projection 0 and the weight a, guided by said rod and having a number of holes a? and a slot a, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4:. In a toy or puzzle ofthe described type, the combination, with the eg -shaped shell or body b, of the rod 0, having branches extending in opposite directions and on opposite sides of the said rod parallel therewith, each of said branches having an outwardly-projecting bend formed therein, and the weight a, provided with a plurality of perforations and a slot a substantially as and for the pu rpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 12th day of September, 1891.

OSCAR LOUVIER. \Vitnesses:

ALEXANDER SPEoHT, DIEDRICH PETERSEN. 

